With Christmas less than a week away, most of us are scrambling to finish our last purchases before the big weekend. The following gift ideas include quick last minute options, inexpensive options, and unconventional gift ideas that show attention, effort and creativity.

1. Time and Necessity.
You can give the gift of time in many ways, even if you’re not J.T. in his new movie, In Time. If you think of the money we spend on the cost of living in terms of the hours we work to acquire it, a $50 gas card could’ve just saved someone a couple hours of time. (Or better yet, a bike shop gift card!) Or why not give your hard-to-buy-for loved-one a chore/errand-free day? I’m sure most mom’s would kill for this gift! Giving necessities are a great way to gift time and in this economy you can’t go wrong with that!:

  • A free oil change – most major car shops offer gift cards!
  • A $50 Target or grocery store gift card.
  • Coffee (for some of us this is definitely a necessity…)
  • An Xcel Energy, Comcast, or Qwest gift certificate! (You can get these now!)

2. Customized and Creative. 
Who doesn’t love to feel important, noticed and paid attention to?! Why not get them a gift that really fits their needs and makes them smile…

  • A Survival Kit – Now however positive we may be, we all have our unpleasant life situations that we can’t quite avoid. Whether it’s a life event, an obligation, or a current circumstance, we still gotta get through it somehow. So why not make it a little easier with a (insert life situation here) Survival Kit! Some examples:

    - 5 o’clock Traffic Survival Kit! (good music/books on tape, water, snacks, candy, phone headphones/Bluetooth, a scented artificial flower, you get the idea.)
    - College Finals Survival Kit!
    - Dating Survival Kit!
    - New Job Survival Kit!

  • Novelty Items pertaining to them or fun experiences/memories/inside jokes.
  • If your loved-one lives afar… A Pen Pal Kit would make a great gift!

3. Memories.
Memories are forever…

  • ____’s Perfect Night Out!
  • Get a book bound of their favorite memories here! http://www.blurb.com/make/bookify
  • Did you know that you can actually volunteer to go play with, walk, and pet the puppies at your local shelters? What a great way to give back while having a fun-filled afternoon!
  • A concert with their favorite genre of music, a game, or any fun event and experience that fits their fancy!

4. Knowledge:
Knowledge is power…

  • Lessons/classes to learn that skill they’ve always wanted.
  • Is there anything that you do well that they’ve always wished they could do? Make them a how-to video!
  • An all-expense day-trip to explore and learn about somewhere new and interesting.
  • A meet & greet with a professional in a field that interests them.

5. A small investment in the future.
…assuming we’re not done-for a year from now.

  • A little bit o’ stock in a promising company. A little bit of money now can go a long way in the future. Apple Inc. anyone?
  • Future collector’s items.
  • A homemade rainy-day fund coin jar.
  • Or perhaps in case the world does end, some Moon Land may come in handy. Yes, apparently you can now actually purchase a lot of land on the moon. Weird.

What other ideas do you have!?

 

XO

Abella